Although it was recently reported Alfonso Cuaron was in talks to possibly direct the Harry Potter spin-off FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM and THE OVERLOOK HOTEL (a prequel to THE SHINING), in an interview with Global Post the director says he doesn't have any projects lined up at this time.
"My near-term plans over the coming months are to take my kids to school and plan what I'm going to do this summer with them. Now, I'm once again connecting with life, I have no plans of any kind."
Alfonso Cuaron was asked about directing FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM, and he said after GRAVITY, he really doesn't want to work on another visual effects heavy film right now.
"It was a very beautiful experience for me. I have a lot of love for that universe and I tremendously admire J.K. Rowling, but today, for the present, projects based around lots of visual effects don't attract me. I'm coming out of a five-year process of doing visual effects and now I sort of want to clean my palate of that a little bit."
The director goes on to say he's a "big fan" of Stanley Kubrick's THE SHINING, but isn't aware of the rumor about him potentially directing the prequel.
I'm not disappointed Alfonso Cuaron won't be directing FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM and THE OVERLOOK HOTEL, however it does kind of suck he doesn't have a new film in the works. He's certainly earned a break after GRAVITY, but there was a seven year gap between his CHILDREN OF MEN and GRAVITY, and I really hope we don't have to wait another seven years for a new movie from the incredibly talented director.
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM is scheduled to be released on November 18, 2016.